Leaking immersion element and drain tap problem

[berks1234]

Hi my boiler has two elements.

And both of them needed changing.

The top one went in ok but the bottom one has sprung a small drip.

We have put PTFE tape and LSX around it. But it is still dripping, so it could be that the gasket failed somehow.

I also had a big problem draining the tank using the drain tap. All the sediments clogged the valve and the water stopped flowing.

So in the end we have to manually drain the tank using a hose, inserted through the top element hole. This only worked so far and we had to open the bottom element up and catch the water in the bucket for the last part.

This was a messy way to do things.

My question is how else can I drain the tank?

Is there a way to run off all the water in the tank by opening the bath taps?

If I stopped the water going into the heater and ran my taps would it empty the immersion heater?

I,m in trouble if I can't keep my drain tap unblocked.

Thanks

 

[Dannypipe]

What type of cylinder is it?

Is it standard open vent cylinder? Is there no drain off at the bottom near the feed?

Or is it something like a Gledhill thermal store? That WILL have a drain off at the bottom.

If it's a standard, open vented cylinder. Then turn the water off to the tank in the loft. Run bath taps until the water stops. Break the union on the top, have something ready to catch some water. Then you can siphon the majority of the water off. Opening the bath taps will not drain the cylinder. Its common sense when you draw it out for someone.

 

[Dannypipe]

Just re-read, that the drain is blocked. Then you are probably best doing as I advise and siphoning it out until you have the vast majority of it gone. The try to repair the drain off before you re-fill.

 

[Dannypipe]

Oh and is the leak from the thermostat pockets? Most common place for leaks on existing/old immersions in my experience.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

u need new cylinder as you can imaging all the scale you did see is going allover every ones body when showering

 

[jtsplumbing]

When you have got the tank empty, remove bottom heater & try to scrape out as much scale has you can, it would be a good idea to fit a new drain off cock, Have you got a propper spanner to fit the heater ??

 

[Dannypipe]

If you have a wet vac, you can suck quite a bit of it out.....but then you probably don't. I need to go to bed!!

 

[on31ll]

connect hose to drain off open it up and blow try and dislodge the crap

 

[REDSAW]

whip the cylinder out and flip it upside down in the garden, give it a flush out, remake the drain off. fit new elements give it a pressure test and bung it back in with a bit of jet blue on the unions.
jobs a good un and like new, simples.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Not so simple with a 6` econ 7 cylinder, I usely find with these that cylinder went in first then they put door frame in

 

[REDSAW]

ok, + 20mins joinery work.
depends how good you are at joinery and indeed plumbing to how easy you find it.
its what i get paid for😉

 

[berks1234]

Just re-read, that the drain is blocked. Then you are probably best doing as I advise and siphoning it out until you have the vast majority of it gone. The try to repair the drain off before you re-fill.

Hi, we tried siphoning it all off last time but we couldnt get the water out below the lower element line.

Meaning we had to open the bottom elelment on the tank and try to catch the water with a bucket.

We used a a bit of hose pipe and suction/gravity to siphon it.

It was a nightmare.

I think the element seal failed when we put it back in and refilled the tank.

So that's why it is dripping.

 

[berks1234]

connect hose to drain off open it up and blow try and dislodge the crap

We were thinking of doing this.

i.e. when the flow stops, we were going to connect the hose to the kitchen tap and try refilling the immersion heater via the drain tap.

Hopefully that may dislodge some of the rubbish and get it going again.